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Health in the Comoros continues to face public health problems characteristic of developing countries.[1] After Comoros's independence in 1975, the French withdrew their medical teams, leaving the three islands' already rudimentary health care system in a state of severe crisis.[1] French assistance was eventually resumed, and other nations also contributed medical assistance to the young republic.[1]
 | This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. (November 2010) |
The Human Rights Measurement Initiative[2] finds that Comoros is fulfilling 64.2% of what it should be fulfilling for the right to health based on its level of income.[3] When looking at the right to health with respect to children, Comoros achieves 86.7% of what is expected based on its current income.[4] In regards to the right to health amongst the adult population, the country achieves only 84.1% of what is expected based on the nation's level of income. [5] Comoros falls into the "very bad" category when evaluating the right to reproductive health because the nation is fulfilling only 21.6% of what the nation is expected to achieve based on the resources (income) it has available.[6]
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The 2010 maternal mortality rate per 100,000 births for the Comoros is 340. This is compared with 225.3 in 2008 and 449.9 in 1990. The under 5 mortality rate, per 1,000 births is 105 and the neonatal mortality as a percentage of under 5's mortality is 35. In the Comoros the number of midwives per 1,000 live births is 9 and the lifetime risk of death for pregnant women 1 in 71.[7]
Life expectancy at birth was estimated at fifty-six years in 1990, up from fifty-one years in 1980.[1] The crude birthrate was forty-eight per 1,000 and the crude death rate, twelve per 1,000 according to 1989 statistics.[1] All three of these figures were close to the averages for sub-Saharan Africa.[1] The rate of infant mortality per 1,000 live births was eighty-nine in 1991, down from 113 in 1980.[1] The 1990 average rate for sub-Saharan Africa was 107.[1]
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Malaria was ubiquitous in the islands, with 80 to 90 percent of the population said to be affected by the disease.[1] Other prevalent maladies included tuberculosis, leprosy, and parasitic diseases.[1] In 1989 about half of all children one year old or younger had been immunized against tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, and measles, a proportion roughly comparable to the rate of immunization among other states in sub-Saharan Africa.[1]
Per capita daily caloric intake in 1988 was 2,046, about average for sub-Saharan Africa but only a little better than 90 percent of daily requirements.[1] Children were most often the victims of malnutrition.[1] Their generally poor diets were deficient in protein in part because local custom discouraged the feeding of fish to children.[1] The scarcity of safe drinking water—available to about one in three Comorans—made intestinal parasites a problem and compounded malnutrition, with children again being the main victims.[1]
The World Bank estimated that in 1993 the Comoros had one physician per 6,582 Comorans, a marked improvement over the ratio of one to 13,810 reported in 1983.[1] Comparable data for sub-Saharan Africa as a whole were not available; however, it appeared that Comorans enjoyed a more favorable ratio than many of their neighbors in East Africa and the Indian Ocean.[1]
Despite improvements in life expectancy, infant mortality, and the number of physicians, the overall quality of care remained poor.[1] About 80 percent of the population lives within one hour's walk of a health facility, usually headed by a trained nurse, but paramedical staff are in short supply and many health facilities are in poor condition.[1] Some international medical aid has been provided, mostly by France and the World Health Organization (WHO).[1]
Although the Comoros lacks homegrown narcotics, the islands are used as a transit site for drugs coming mainly from Madagascar.[1] In view of international concern about drug trafficking, in 1993 France began providing technical expertise in this field to the Comoros.[1] In addition, the World Bank in a 1994 report pointed out the "high prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and the low use of condoms" as a significant health threat with regard to the spread of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), which already affected the islands.[1] However, in the period prior to 1990 and extending through 1992, the WHO reported that the Comoros had a very low incidence of AIDS—a total of three cases with no case reported in 1992, or an overall case rate of 0.1 per 100,000 population.[1]
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In 2006, there were 15 physicians per 100,000 people. The fertility rate was 4.7 per adult woman in 2004. Life expectancy at birth is 67 for females and 62 for males.[8] By 2012 the life expectancy at birth was 62 years.[9]
There are two district, two provincial and one regional hospitals in Comoros. These hospitals are supplemented by 52 health posts and 12 health centers.[9]
The hospitals include the following:[10]
- El-Maarouf National Hospital Center, Moroni, Grand Comore, established in 1954[11][12]
- Regional Hospital Foumbouni, Foumbouni, Grand Comore[13]
- Regional Hospital Mitsamiouli, Mitsamiouli, Grand Comore[13]
- Caritas Hospital, Moroni, Grand Comore[12]
- Hospital of Moidja Hamahamet, Mouadja, Grand Comore
- Hospital of Nioumamilima Badjini, Nioumamilima, Grand Comore
- Samba-Kouni Hospital Center, Samba-Kouni, Grand Comore[14]
- Mkazi Health Post, Mkazi, Grand Comore[13]
- Tsinimoichongo Health Post, Tsinimoichongo, Grand Comore[13]
- Hospital Center Ouani, Ouani, Anjouan
- Hospital of Domoni, Domoni, Anjouan
- Mutsamudu Hospital, Mutsamudu, Anjouan[15]
- Regional Hospital Center of Djando, Wanani, Mohéli
- International Hospital, Moroni, Grand Comore
- Nioumachoua Health Center, Nioumachoua, Mohéli[13]
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